traffic etiquette

I always give the courtesy wave...it's just the right thing to do...when someone doesn't, it kind of pisses me off, no etiquette...

 

At least Texas requires you to get back into the right lane when you aren't passing somebody on the Interstate.

I've been driving through other states where people just coast along in the fast lane, so aggravating.

 

what i don't get is people who get on the highway and immediately change like 3 lanes to get to their favorite lane only to go 5 miles under the speed limit.

or how someone doesnt realize theres 15 cars they're holding up because they want to be a good citizen who loves to go right at 60mph on the left lane.

 

Well, in their defense, you could all get vaporized on the spot while sitting in traffic. Then, when someone comes to survey the damage, it would go in the records that they beat you there.

 

You must live in Austin. This is inherent with everyone who has learned to drive here.

My absolute favorite is San Antonio bred drivers. For some strange reason, everyone who learned to drive in San Antonio was taught that "Yield" signs are "stop" signs. They ALL slam the breaks and then look to see if anyone is coming. F***ing annoying. Just look before you get to the ramp to see in anyone is exiting, you moron.

 

Do it because you are a nice person, not because you are expecting a thank you wave back. You are a nice person, aren't you? Treat the thank you wave as a bonus. I couldn't care less if anyone gives me a thank you wave, but it is appreciated when they do.

This happens to me ALL THE TIME, too. I've given people multiple car lengths and slowed down to match their speed, giving them a large window to merge, and for some reason they still won't take it.

 

Hey, If you got a problem with it, next time move your damn semi over 1 lane so I can get my crappy pick-up on the freeway........... :grin:

 

Completely agreed. Its common courtesy to let a driver maneuver to where they need to get. I would rather them keep their focus on the road than get distracted trying to thank me.

 

I know this is a little off-topic, but I've gotta get this off my chest. Lately, (and by lately I mean probably the last 6 months or so), it seems like at least once a day, whenever I come to a 4-way stop sign and there's a car pulling up CLEARLY before me at the intersection as well, that car will just sit there....frozen.....because they don't know who got there first. So then of course I sit there, because he ABSOLUTELY, POSITIVELY got there first......only to have me lose patience, and try to go first. But of course, the second he sees me release the breaks, he starts to go! WTF?!?! Dude, it was YOUR ******* right of way to begin with! Why didn't you just GO, instead of sitting there for 3 seconds, dumbfounded as to who got there first?!? Do you not have enough peripheral vision to be able to keep your eyes ahead of you AND be able to tell who got to the intersection first at the same time?? Are you like, some sort of hybrid Ant-Human who is only capable of seeing in one direction at a time??? Ok, sorry.....but I swear, it's like a whole new batch of stupid has been let out into the atmosphere. End rant.

God that felt good.

 

Similar to this, I hate when I pull up to a stop sign and the guy across the way clearly got there before me, yet he insists I go first with the wave on. Dude look, I get it, you're trying to be nice. But if you're there before me, just ****ing go.

I stopped 'thanking' these types of people. Dont wave me on even though you clearly got there first... It's stupid.

 

The wave is a Texan thing. When friends and relatives come to visit and they see someone in the car ahead that I just let in give me a wave they don't know what it is ["Did that guy just give you the finger?!!]
It takes a little while for people to figure it out. So when I don't receive a wave I check to see if the license plate is out of state. And when a driver's really rude I assume they are from Boston.

I wish I could say I never get bent out of shape about bad drivers but when a woman yelled at me for her own error I was miserable all day thinking someone out there hated me

 

Beyond traffic etiquette, does anybody ever notice how much power those people who control the traffic light timings, etc. seem to have? They can make drivers' lives miserable if they want to. I've seen it happen on multiple occassions...where screwed up light sequences stymie traffic for miles. And, it almost seems like they mess up the light sequences on purpose...just to piss people off. For example, I work downtown and it is common knowledge that...in order to keep traffic flowing well...lights need to be sequenced in downtown settings. Otherwise, you would get through one intersection and the next intersection's light would just be turning red. Keep this going through multiple intersections to get through downtown...and you end up with a bunch of seriously pissed off road rage drivers.

So, just today, they set up a new stop light at the very last intersection of a series of intersections and lights in downtown Fort Worth. Except, they sequence this light to be very short on green and long on red turning red just as the light before it turns green. All the lights are pretty much greens before it. So, what is the cumulative effect of this? Traffic is backed up all through these intersections...because only a few cars can get through where this last intersection, new light is turning red. I'm talking a major clusterfrack happening.

I mean...I saw the fn guy working on the lights at the box earlier today and, somehow, this isn't ironed out by afternoon rush hour? I mean it took 15 minutes to basically travel 1000 to 1500 feet or whatever.

Here's to you...Mr. Intersection Light Control Guy! I mean your job must be so tough...and you don't even get it right. I'm sure you'll be back out sometime to fix it...given you wield all the power here. How hard of a job can it actually be? I mean...this is the main road through the downtown that all rush hour traffic flows on...and you f it up. Unbelievable. Even the cops driving around seem oblivious to the situation. I guess it must be harder to set up a new intersection light than it appears. I don't get it.

All I know is that by the time I finally made it the 1500 feet or whatever...I was one pissed off customer. I wanted to give everyone the finger after that. Traffic etiquette? I got it right here, pal! :grin:

 

I always wave and will teach my kids to do the same.

 

I don't give late mergers the benefit of the doubt. I think they're impatient ***holes and while I will let them in if they force the issue, I like to let them know I'm not afraid of the love tap.

Perfect example, West Loop northbound at 59...There is one lane for 59 South and it backs up into the Bellaire city limits. You'll see ***holes drive in the 610 North lane and just brake, stopping traffic in their lane until someone lets them in. You'll also see ****s use the 59 North lane to get ahead then merge into the 59 South lane.

 

I think people on the access/feeder roads failing to yield to exiting traffic is the number ONE forgotten road rule around.

If I'm exiting, I own all the lanes. Now I'm not going to go flying across them, safety be darned, but at least let me in.

 

that kills me the most. the next time i get in a wreck it's going to be because some ******* thinks i'm letting him in, but i'm not. thank god i don't have a route to/from work anymore where this is a big deal. it used to be terrible when we'd have to get on i-10 in katy at mason.

 

In my experience, one of the biggest cultural differences I have noticed between Canadians and Americans is the attitude towards driving. That's not to say there aren't bad drivers in Canada too, but y'all are bonkers down there! On my big road trip, I would always get a kick out of getting passed by some jackass driving 15-20 over the speed limit who swerves across lanes without signaling, and then seeing him a few minutes later on the side of the road after being pulled over by a cop.

 

^^ This. Unless you're from out of town and looking at a GPS unit while driving, or a woman, I'm pretty damn sure you know what you're doing. I get annoyed at the people who let them in easy because it promotes this type of behavior.

For my rant today, people need to learn to turn on headlights. Especially in bad weather conditions like today. I hate having to triple check when changing lanes to make sure that near-invisible car hasn't moved closer.